Swoon Quilt A Long

Darn, my blogging friends!
They always get me sucked into things.

NOT that that is a bad thing, it just is a thing! LOL

So, thanks to Camille, over at Simplify,

I am now signed up for a Swoon Quilt A Long.

But its SWOON!
I already have the pattern.

I already have the fabric.

Heck, I already the first block done!

And, I already have border fabric, a charm pack for throw pillows, and some additional yardage to make valances!

This Quilt A Long is just what I need to get going on this quilt!

If you are interested, you can find the details here, at Katy's blog.

I can't wait to get started!



Waiting for Spring

Spring was a long time coming, wasn't it?

It seemed like it to me.

In January, I joined QuiltDad's Block A Palooza Quilt Along.

It was my first and I didn't put much thought into it

beyond, oh, this sounds fun! LOL

After a few weeks, I really wasn't liking what I could see the final product turning out to be.

So I stopped and set it aside for awhile.

Eventually, I redesigned the quilt into something I did like

and got back to work on it.

I finished it and sent it off to the quilters,

with a bit of trepidation.

I let Allie pick out the thread color, as it was going on her bed,

and she picked pink.

Since the center design block is white, I was more then a little worried

about how the pink thread was going to look.

But, we picked it up from the quilter yesterday and I love it.

The pink was a perfect choice and the quilting itself is wonderful.

Imagine my surprise when I was checking it out and realized I had

messed up one of the rows! Eeeekkkkkkk!

The blocks were supposed to alternate.

But when I attached the top row, I accidently flipped the row and ended up

with matching blocks in the corners. Nothing I can do about it now.

 Ohhhh, but I am upset with myself.

Anyway,

Here you go.

Waiting for Spring.

Quilt #7 of 11 in '11.

Waiting for Spring

Have you ever done a Quilt-a-long?
I joined the Block A Palooza quilt a long back in January.

I'd never done one before and it sounded fun.

Make 2 blocks a week for 8 weeks, add some finishing touches and voila,

a whole quilt top, done.

Except it was a sampler.

Which I guess if I had thought about, I should have known.

And that's not my style.

At all.

So, I did the first 6 blocks.

I liked them all.

Just not together.

But I had all this fabric.

That I wasn't sure I would love when I ordered it,

but I did.

Sunkissed is beautiful!

I needed to come up with another idea.

I decided to take the basic idea from the quilt a long and make it my own.

I designed 2 quilt blocks to make the border.

Then I copied the center panel.

As my dh says, totally  not my style,

but it turned out cute.

I finished the quilt top yesterday.

Now I have to do the backing.

I am thinking of incorporating those extra blocks that I made.

Not quite sure yet.

I'd like to get the backing done soon so I can get this dropped off at the quilters next week.

In the meantime,

wanna sneak peak?

And here's part of the center panel.

In terms of 11 in '11, I am almost half way done.

I have the king size (I really need to name that baby!) at the quilters now.

It is #5.

Waiting for Spring is just about ready to be dropped off.

Its #6.

Nick's quilt, Lightening Strikes, still needs to be quilted.

That is on the docket to be done as soon as I get all the Hawaii sewing done.

It'll be #7. (I bought some batting spray, at a fellow quilters suggestion, that I want to use on this, so I'm anxious to see how it works!)



Missing Pics

I know, I know, I really

need to get some new pics up!

To be honest, I haven't picked up my camera

in awhile.
Maybe this weekend?

So, the big news of the day is.......

I finished my king size quilt top!
I'll take it to the quilters either tomorrow or Friday.

I can't believe how close I am to having it on my bed!

Hip Hip Hooray!

 

Fabric updates:
I bought some flannel and have cut out all the pieces

to make my new flannel rag quilt.

I'd really like to get this done by next Friday so it can be

my car blanket for our trip to Iowa.

I'm going to buy the batting this afternoon and hopefully get it started

tonight or tomorrow!

 

I have also figured out what to do with my Sunkissed/Bloggers Quilt A Long.

I really liked the design they created.

But I was not liking the look of the sampler blocks.

Which was really my fear when I realized that was what

the whole quilt was going to be.

So, I redesigned it.

I'm going to do 2 quilt block designs around the outside for the border

and keep the center applique.

You can check out the applique here

and the quilt design here.

I think I will be much happier with this idea :)

 

On hold:
I haven't touched my son's quilt top since I finished it last week.

Its on my to do list to layer and quilt, but those are

my least favorite parts of quilting.

I also haven't done anything about a spring/Easter table runner.

At this point, I'm not sure what is going to happen with that.

I may just jump right into something for May and skip Easter this year.

The St Pats day runner is still on my table.

Which, to be honest, didn't make it there til the end of March, so

we haven't been staring at it for that long!

 

I'm Tired

...Its Saturday night and I'm tired.

I got some quilting done this morning and more later in the afternoon,

but I'm just too tired to want to do much right now.

I finished the mug rug/snack mat that I was making for hubby.

The applique was tougher then I thought it would be,

and it didn't turn out great, but its cute

and he likes it.

I got 2 borders sewn onto my king size quilt.

Now I need the "busy" border and 2 more plain ones

before its done. I am really pleased with how it is turning out.

And again, I'm thinking of quilting it myself.

I have no idea why I keep going back and forth.

I probably won't make a final decision until the top is

100% complete. Which, I am hoping, should be by next week.

The spring/Easter table runner is still

rattling around in my head. I have no idea what I want to do

for it.

I stopped at the fabric store today.

Bought a few fat quarters and browsed the flannel.

I really miss that flannel quilt I made for my nephew,

so I'm going to make another for myself.

Except I think I'm going to go with a rag quilt.

Putting that on my mental to do list.

And, because I am tired and lacking motivation,

I browsed the Flickr group for the Spring

Block A Palooza.

OMGosh, so many cute finishes!

Really makes me want to finish mine, but I'm just not thrilled

with all the blocks that were designed.

But I do love the Sunkissed by Sweetwater for Moda fabric,

so I want to make sure I love how the final quilt turns out.

Another thing to think on.

I need to go to sleep, but its too early.

I could go quilt, but I am really bad at it when I'm this tired.

Maybe I'll go find a book and a hot cup of tea.

Thursday Update

No pics today, sorry!

I still owe you pics of my new carry on bag and my March table runner.

I'll try to take some soon, its been rainy and dreary here,

so the light stinks to take pics.

Today, I finished Nick's quilt top!
This was a UFO that I started sometime last  year,

so I am excited to cross it off the to do list.

This weekend, I hope to get it layered and pinned,

maybe quilt it next week?

Shhhh, I am making dh a surprise.
I've been wanting to try a mug rug and today I came across a great tute

for it. Erin, over at Two More Seconds,

has been hosting a Mug Rug Madness blog around and today's

was my fave, I think. Since today was opening day

of baseball, I did it in Met's colors. Tomorrow, I need to find and print

a Met logo and I'm going to applique that on and then give it to him for his office.

So, pics of that coming up too!

Also, on this weekend's to do list is to start and finish (at least the top!)

my spring/Easter table runner. I have fabric, but not the slightest idea

of what I want to do with it.

I guess that's all that is really going on here.

I am trying to decide what to work on next. I need to redo

my quilt list and add all the new projects that I have bought fabric for.

I have 2 projects in the works...I really should focus on at least one of those,

preferably the king size for my bed that will have to be sent out to be quilted.

But I also need to finish the Block A Palooza quilt I started in Jan.

But then there's that other one.

Ohhh, and that one!
And don't forget that one!
Ahhhhh, you know what I mean!

Scattered Thoughts

I'm feeling slightly scattered.

Its been that kind of day.

Started with taking all 4 kids to the dentist for cleanings.

Good reports all around, but man, I wish they had been

better behaved.

Then, we ran a few errands.

And came home.

And I took a nap!
I was so tired!

This afternoon, I finished piecing my March table runner.

And started my March table square.

Love the runner.

Hate the square.

More on these laters.

Yesterday, I FINISHED the flannel baby

quilt for my brother.

So glad that is done!

And for the FNSI I finished

block #8 for the QuiltAlong.

Love how this turned out!

I hadn't figured out the basket stitch yet on

this machine, so after a bit of playing

around, I got it done.

All 8 block look like this:

I'm not much of a sampler person, so I hope I

like this when its done. I do love the Sunkissed

fabric's tho!

And, because my thoughts are scattered,

here are pics of my darling making breakfast

yesterday morning.

Strawberry crumble, anyone?

And check out that fancy apron she has on!

She picked out the fabric, I did the work.

She looks cute.

Even deal all the way around :)

Catch up!

WOW! Its been awhile!

My excuse is that I spent most of last week sick.

Strep throat that would not get better!
Ugh, it was horrible!

But, I am back and feeling better

and have gotten quite a bit of quilting done.

Here's a photo blog of it:

All quilted and pretty for valentines day! This table is in my kitchen.

And the runner that sits on the dining room table.

Let's see, I think this was block 6 for the quilt a long

This should be block 5? I'm not real happy with how it turned out.

Block 4. I think. Love this one!

And block 3.

Today's Block 7.

A sneak peak at what I am working on right now. This will be a streak of lightening quilt

for my son.

And, this is the center top for my bed. Finished this at the end of January

and haven't gotten back to it yet. All I need to do is add borders and send it off to be quilted.

And there are a few other's that I have been working on, but no pics of those yet!



Waiting for Spring Block A Palooza Block 2

Yeah! Its Thursday!
That means the 2nd block for Block A Palooza

came out today!

Can you tell I am a bit excited?

I checked this morning....no block.

Darn, she must be on a different time zone then me.

So, I went and shoveled the huge driveway that

had 6-8 inches of snow on it.

Came back in.....

And there it was!
The second block!

Oh.

Wow.

Looks like ALOT of cutting and sewing.

Little TINY 2 inch blocks.

Lots of them!

I'm not thrilled.

So, I finished what I was working on.

Went out with my girlfriend and somehow

bought a quilt book but no fabric!
Yeah me! LOL

Although, my youngest daughter bought fabric.

That can't count against me!

Came back home and looked at the block again.

I really like it.

But I've never attempted anything like this.

No time like now, huh?
So I started cutting.

And cutting.

And cutting.

And then realized that all these little tiny squares now

need sewn together. In a particular order!

I can do this!

And so I did.

Out of all those little squares, only 1 didn't match up exactly!

WoooooHoooooo!

I do think this would have been much easier strip pieced,

but I did it as the directions called for.

I'm liking this quilt along!

Waiting for Spring Block A Palooza Block 1

I was a little worried after seeing pics of Sunkissed by Sweetwater for Moda.

It looks really light in the photo's and I

wasn't sure I was going to like it.

But, it arrived today and I like it!

I more then like it!

I'm excited to work with it!

So, I completed my first block for the

Waiting for Spring Quilt Along.

Thanks to Quilt Dad for the great design!

I really don't think that the computer does justice to the

real color of this block, which is too bad.

I love how it turned out!

Can't wait to see the next block tomorrow!